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Young musicians make a scene at open mic night

Andrew Turner
BBC News, Norfolk
Reporting fromGreat Yarmouth
Qays Najm/BBC Naledi is a young singer standing at a microphone, in partial silhouette, with ultraviolet light causing her tee shirt to appear purple. She has her black curly hair tied back, and she wears glasses, and is singing into a microphone held in her right hand. A spotlight and rays of diffraction appear in the centre left of the image.Qays Najm/BBC
Play Produce Promote helps young people like Naledi understand the music industry and create a music scene in Great Yarmouth

An arts project is teaching young musicians skills that could help them start a career in the music industry.

Play Produce Promote (PPP) is an off-shoot of Freshly Greated, which works with young people to develop talent and create a cultural scene in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

It held an open mic night at the town's St George's Theatre to help musicians learn they need to do more than create a band, with work required to produce music and promote events to attract audiences.

Programme director Jacqui MacKay said: "I'm 53 years old. If I decided to produce a music night, I don't think many young people would be there, so this is about music by young people, for young people."

Qays Najm/BBC Mark stands to left, with Rupert, then Harry and Holly on the right. Mark is wearing a white patterned shirt, and has sunglasses on his head. Harry is in a black tee shirt bearing the word "Slipknot". He has long blond hair. Behind him is his elder brother Harry, who has medium length brown hair. He is wearing a black shirt with the motif undecipherable. The boys' mum Holly is wearing a black dress. She wears glasses and has long dark blonde hair.Qays Najm/BBC
Mark and Holly say their sons Rupert, 11, and Harry, 15, have developed as musicians as a result of the regular sessions they attend

First on stage were brothers Harry, 15, and Rupert, 11, performing two songs they had written themselves.

"It was amazing," said Harry. "I love the crowd; love everyone here. Most of my friends are in PPP and it ties everything together in the most amazing way.

"It's taken us from pretty much completely nothing to where I am. I started off as someone who barely had the confidence to get on stage and would cry and now I get on stage completely fine.

"Bullying; I've had to live with that since I was younger because of my eczema and autism, but music has given me a way to rise above it."

Rupert said: "I like the atmosphere here because everyone is respectful and kind to each other and appreciate how talented each other is.

"It's helped us both. Harry and I were always the quirky, weird kids of the school and Play Produce Promote has helped us find the people we fit in with."

Andrew Turner/BBC A mobile phone seen on the right of the image, depicts the act on stage, seen in the left of the image. A hand is holding the phone, and two boys are playing music on the stage at St George's Theatre in Great Yarmouth.Andrew Turner/BBC
Mark and Holly say making music is making their sons happy but joke that they dream of them becoming rich and famous

Their mum Holly and dad Mark bought instruments for their sons when they were just four years old: Harry, a guitar, and Rupert, a drum kit.

They have progressed from playing in the shed, to the conservatory and now on stage, getting paid for some gigs.

Holly said: "I would never have imagined that they would have come that far that quickly.

"Rich and famous; that's the dream!"

Mark said: "Without Play Produce Promote they would still be having fun playing around, making some songs, but PPP has brought them to where they are today."

He joked: "I'm not working till I'm 70. My children are going to be superstars and hopefully they'll pay my mortgage for me.

"I have always known they were talented, but that's from a dad point of view.

"But, in all seriousness, it's not just about the music. We want them to be happy; [this] has helped them to be happy, to socialise, to build their confidence and really start to enjoy life."

Andrew Turner/BBC Dan and his dad Shaun sitting on the stage. Dan is wearing a brown tee shirt with a logo. Shaun is wearing a white tee shirt, and has his right arm draped over his son's shoulder. Behind them, with arms around each other, are two other band members. They are on the stage in St George's Theatre with curtains behind and a gantry rig above them..Andrew Turner/BBC
Dan (pictured with his dad, Shaun) and bandmates in Niche are developing their skills and learning how to promote their work to draw audiences

Shaun was proudly watching his son Dan, 15, perform in a band called Niche.

"It's fantastic. It's something I dabbled in... when I was a youngster, but he's taken it to a whole new level.

"With his ADHD and autism, this for his confidence has just been off the chart. He's really come on leaps and bounds."

Andrew Turner/BBC Dan is wearing a white vest top and has tattoos on his left arm. He has long dark curly hair and a goatee beard. Skar is wearing a black tee shirt and has long orange hair. They are standing in St George's Theatre, where there are people on stage, and an audience on chairs.Andrew Turner/BBC
Dan and Skar say Play Produce Promote helps them develop their creative skills

Dan, 18, said: "I perform in two bands: one, The Gourds and the other, Kuiper. I also come here to watch other people play."

Skar, 15, who sang Alannah Myles's Black Velvet - one of her granddad's favourite songs - said: "Norwich had quite a big music scene and a lot of us moved from there to here when we heard about Play, Produce, Promote.

"It's really helpful for people who are very creative, like us, to get out there and do what we what."

Qays Najm/BBC Jacqui MacKay is wearing a black V-neck top and is wearing dark rimmed spectacles. She has medium long blond highlighted hair, and she is smiling. She is standing inside St George's Theatre and there are people on stage and an audience on chairs.Qays Najm/BBC
Programme director Jacqui MacKay says it is vital young people get involved in putting on gigs targeted at audiences in their age groups

Ms MacKay said: "I don't know what music young people want to create, I don't know the skills they need to have to make the music they want to listen to, so it's absolutely vital to us that young people are programming events, deciding what bands are going to be heard by other young people.

"Play Produce Promote is all about developing the music scene in Great Yarmouth, starting by investing in young people and giving them the opportunity to find out what is involved in playing music, producing music, and promoting music."

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